CHAPTER XXV
After Jesus had made an end of this exhortation, he set forth on his journey to go towards Bethany, which lay still far up above us. There was in his countenance even such a brightness as we had noted when he came down from the mountain with Peter and James and John. Whereat we marvelled, because he that had but now spoken to us with such a passion of sorrow concerning a cup of suffering and death, seemed to go towards suffering and death like unto one triumphing in glory. Howbeit we feared to ask him further concerning these things; but we followed after him, questioning among ourselves.
Now Judas ceased not cavilling at the exhortation of Jesus, saying that it was not fit that a leader should make himself like a child, nor that whoso would fain be greatest should make himself least; “For,” said Judas, “a leader must lead, not follow; and he must command, not obey; and he must have the forethought of a man to arrange all things orderly, not the afterthought of a child to adventure all things at hazard. Now Jesus, in his former days, when he was like himself, ever took upon himself the part of leader, yea, even a leader greater than Moses; for he was wont to speak in our [pg 317]ears such words as these, It was said to them of old time, Do this, but I say unto you, Do that; and again, Come unto me, and I will give you rest; Take my yoke upon you, and the like. Were not these words the words of a leader? But now what saith he? Even such words as these: ‘I am not a leader, but a follower’; ‘I am not as the greatest, but as the least’; ‘I am not a conqueror, but as one to be vanquished, yea and already vanquished, even as a lamb led to the slaughter.’ Nor doth he give command beforehand, nor warn us how to meet the enemy, nor where to expect the onset. But behold it wanteth but a week or less, and there cometh the Passover; and nothing is settled. Verily we are as sheep without a shepherd.”
Thus spake Judas in the bitterness of his heart, more freely than he had ever spoken before (at least in our presence), and we marvelled at the bitterness of his speech. But Peter rebuked him and said, “Say not such words as these, O Judas, for of a surety Jesus is our leader even unto death; but his ways are not as our ways, and we must have faith in him. Howbeit concerning what is to come to pass on the day after the morrow, somewhat, as I know, is already settled; for he purposeth to enter the Holy City publicly, even before the face of all that dwell in Jerusalem. Now when that cometh to pass, then doubtless he will be moved to perform some mighty work. I say not that he will smite with the sword; for he ever shrinketh from the sword. But perchance he will pray unto the Lord, and the earth will open for our enemies, even as it opened for the children of Korah, or fire will go forth from the presence of our Master himself, and he will consume his [pg 318]enemies with the fervency of his breath. For the mercies of the Lord are manifold, and very many are His paths for the destruction of the wicked.”
When Judas heard mention of the going of Jesus into Jerusalem, he held his peace, thinking (as I perceived from his words afterwards) that this was perchance a sign that Jesus was minded to become a leader indeed. But another, taking up the word spoken by Simon Peter touching the fire from the presence of Jesus, said, “And perchance this fire is even what our Master signifieth, when he saith that the adversaries shall be cast into the fire.” But another said, “Nay, but it is written, the punishment of malefactors shall be fire and worms. Also it is written in the prophet Isaiah that, when all things are made anew, in that day the righteous shall go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, ‘and they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched.’ Therefore it is most certain that, when Jerusalem shall be purified, the adversaries shall be cast forth into the valley of Hinnom, even to the fire and worms; and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh.”
To this the most part agreed. Only Nathanael seemed doubtful; but he said nothing in the hearing of the rest. But when I questioned him concerning the meaning of the words of Jesus, he answered that he knew not for certain what they meant; only he felt assured that Jesus had in his mind not a visible but some kind of invisible fire, which preyeth upon wickedness, even as the fire whereon we look preyeth upon fuel. This seemed to me at that time a hard saying, but now I consent unto it. [pg 319]And to the same effect spake Quartus afterwards, saying, “To Jesus the invisible things were visible, even as those things which are seen with the eyes; yea, they were more visible. Therefore when he looked upon the hearts of men and discerned in them jealousy or malignity or hypocrisy, behold, such men seemed to him as men that are suffering from a sore disease, which disease must be burned away with the fires of God. For as the all-encompassing sunlight bringeth life to them which are whole, but fiery heats to them in whose veins the fever rageth, even so the fire of God (which compasseth all invisible things, so that naught can escape from the flame thereof) purifieth that which will be purified, but consumeth that which is corrupt, according as it is written, ‘The jealousy of the Lord burneth like fire for ever.’ ”
Now Xanthias, the Greek merchant of Alexandria, was wont to say that Jesus would have done well to make distinction between the fire of God and the fires of men; lest his disciples should be led astray by his words, and lest they should suppose that Jesus was speaking of earthly destruction. But if Xanthias had lived unto these days, and had seen how, after the death of our Master, the most part of our nation were given up to darkness and madness, and their city and temple were burned with fire, and they themselves were consumed by hundreds and by thousands, then, as it seemeth to me, he would have perceived that the fire whereof Jesus spake consumeth alike things visible and invisible, and on earth as well as not on earth. Howbeit at this season we understood none of these things, and almost all thought that the Romans and other Gentiles in [pg 320]Jerusalem, and whosoever of our own nation stood up against our Master, should be slain and cast out into the valley of Hinnom to be consumed by fire and worms.
But while we thus disputed among ourselves, behold, we were now come nigh unto the village called Bethany; which lieth high up on the mountain called the Mount of Olives, and looketh, from above, upon the road that goeth down to Jericho. And from Bethany to Jerusalem is but sixteen furlongs or less. Here therefore our journey was at an end; for our Master was to tarry at Bethany, in the house of Mary and Martha, for that night and during the morrow also; for the Sabbath was at hand. But of the rest of our band, some few remained with us; others went forward a little space to Bethphage, which was about a Sabbath day’s journey; others, and these the greater part, hasted to pass into Jerusalem before the Sabbath should have begun; for there wanted but one hour of sunset.
During all that night Jesus said not much to us. Only, while speaking to the women after supper, he discoursed concerning the need of patience, and how the disciples in the New Kingdom must be like unto wise virgins going unto a wedding, which take not only lighted lamps, but also good store of oil that they may keep their lamps alight; but the foolish, which take no oil, have not their lamps alight when the bridegroom arriveth suddenly: wherefore they come too late for the feast and are shut out. Thereby, said Peter, Jesus seemed to mean that he was to leave us for a time and to return suddenly; and whoso was not prepared to meet him should be shut out from the Kingdom. Some other parables Jesus spake to the same effect.